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French titles in the DVD store

While trying to think of what to write about today, since I'm not in Paris till later this month, I looked through the stash of images in my Paris file and found this one:

It reminded me of the frustrating hunt through the Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Élysées (a fun store otherwise) when you are looking for a specific DVD in English. The store sells lots of DVDs in version originale (abbreviated V.O.) but the title is rarely the one you are looking for-- it's always sold by its French name. Charlie's Angels, for example, becomes Drôles de Dames ("a strange kind of lady"). And that's just the beginning.

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So true... and funny too! More recently, I noticed another interesting habit: Replacing an American title with... another American word or expression. Hmmm. For example, "the Hangover 2" became "Very Bad Trip 2"-- Hysterical. I wonder why, since they could have renamed the movie: "La Gueule de Bois2" --- Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Elaine Sciolino in ParisOf the N.Y. Times (or as it prefers to be known, The N.Y. Times) and writer of La Seduction: How the French Play the Game of Life

Le Franco PhoneyA long-term Australian expat in a French ski resort. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this one.

The Compleat AngloI have to like a blog that is named The Compleat Anglo. An Englishman married to his Madame, in the Basque country

Flipflop France23-year-old Sasha, an Oregonian from Forks (town made famous by the Twilight vampire saga), has settled down in France's second city, Lyons. [No that isn't a mistake. I spell it the old-fashioned English way.]